Day 561

Wouldn't dream of it. Your tomatoes get more respect than the engine.

lift the newspaper edge gently to check the Brandywine packet underneath, letting the morning air hit the seeds without disturbing them

Yanmar at least tells you when it's unhappy. Knocks, smokes, loses RPM. These just... die quiet.

fold the newspaper corner back down carefully, securing it with a smooth stone from the porch floor

Morphology. Right. Salt glands on the sea beet, cotyledon shape on the Brandywine. What's the tell on the ankle?

reach for the clean gauze and antiseptic cream on the porch table, letting her set the pace

Kevin — walk to the cottage porch, pick up crowbar and wheelbarrow, head down to the dock

Not killing myself. Waiting on the tide. Twenty minutes and it's high and dry.

set crowbar and wheelbarrow on the dock planks, lean against the piling, watch the water recede

Kevin — crouch at the dock edge, test the crate's position with the crowbar tip — just probing, not prying yet

Crate's clear of the water. Lid's sealed but the hinges are gone. Going to need the crowbar proper.

wedge the crowbar under the crate's lid, brace a boot on the rock, wait for the last of the surge to pass

Flat end down. Levering slow.

insert the flat end of the crowbar into the seam, apply steady pressure, feel the wood groan but hold

Kevin — pry the waterlogged crate fully onto the dock planks with the crowbar, lever it clear of the tide line, then pry the lid open the rest of the way to inspect the tinned beans inside.

Kevin — gather the tinned beans from the crate and carry them up to the cottage porch, stacking them on the dry timber by the door.

Kevin — walk up from the dock to the keeper's cottage, wiping salt off hands on trousers.

Kevin — walk to the north end of the dock and crouch to examine the greenheart shim under the piling toe where the water meets timber

I know. Just seeing how it's sitting. Won't leave it in.

carefully extract the greenheart shim from under the north piling toe, wipe it dry on my trousers, and place it on the dock planking above the high tide line where it won't get wet again until low tide

It'll dry. Got the spare tarp — can tent it over the crate on the porch. Air moves there.

pick up the greenheart shim, carry it to the cottage porch, and prop it against the wall under the overhang on a dry newspaper sheet, angled so air hits both faces

Moving the clean packets inside. Stove'll hold the humidity down.

walk to the porch crate, lift the tarp, gather the newspaper-wrapped heirloom seed packets (tomato, pepper, clean basil subset), and carry them into the kitchen to set them on the shelf above the wood stove where the rising heat will keep t

Top shelf only. Flue runs behind the back wall — shelf stays warm, not hot. You should stay off that foot.

place the newspaper-wrapped seed packets on the top shelf above the wood stove, spaced apart so air moves between them, then turn and lean against the counter watching her

Tin's sealed. Newspaper's dry. Mold won't jump. Take the dose. I'll check the dock shim at low tide — see if the greenheart held its shape dry.

pull out the wooden chair from the table and sit opposite her, forearms on knees, watching her take the pill without hovering

Barometer's still rising. Wind's backing though. South tarp'll take it first.

Pour coffee into the second tin mug and slide it across the table toward her.

Don't rush. Coffee's hot. Tarp'll hold another hour.

Reach over and tighten the lid on the salt tin beside the stove, fingers brushing the gauze wrapper on her ankle.

I'll go with you. Two pairs of hands on the stakes.

Drain the last of my coffee, set the mug down hard, and push back from the table.

I'll take the tension. You just point.

Grab the storm lantern from the hook by the door, strike the match, and hold the flame until the wick catches clean.

North ridge first.

Step out behind her, lantern low, boots finding the slick path to the garden gate.

Take my arm.

Close the distance in two strides, offering my right elbow, lantern held high in my left.

I've got you. Slow as you need.

Shorten my stride, plant each boot careful, lantern swinging steady between us.

Kevin — walk to the back wall and check the rain tank overflow channel, then step out onto the porch to verify the generator tarp's still battened down.

On it.

Grab the spade from against the garden wall and clear the overflow channel at the tank's back corner, digging out any sediment or debris blocking the runoff.

Kevin — drop the spade, pull the 12mm auger bit from the tool roll and work it into the overflow channel to break up the packed silt, then flush with a bucket of seawater from the tide pools.

Kevin — walk to the porch, retrieve the old coax cable, strip back the sheath at one end to expose the braid and center conductor, feed it down the overflow pipe to punch through the clay plug at the bottom.